ODI Cricket has been receiving a lot of criticism as it’s time-consuming as compared to T20I’s. It takes around 4 hours to complete an innings which has started to bother the Experts and there is more to it as the environment looks a bit humdrum. ODI Cricket is a psychological one where the team has to lay down the foundation before going bang-bang which is not the case for T20 Cricket where the batters don’t have that ample time.
Ben Stokes Sudden Retirement from ODI Cricket
Recently England’s flamboyant all-rounder Ben Stokes took retirement from ODI Cricket stating that 3 formats are no longer sustainable. The decision from Stokes shook the World Cricket as his age was only 31 years and when the ICC Cricket World Cup 2024 is around the corner, taking such a decision was a huge blow to England’s title defense.
Also Read: “We are not cars” Ben Stokes blames ‘jam-packed’ schedule for sudden retirement
Pakistan’s Wasim Akram’s opinion on ODI Cricket
Pakistan’s Wasim Akram literally demanded to scrap ODI’s. Wasim Akram who excelled in ODIs made such a statement as we all have seen an overdose of T20 Cricket in the form of IPL and other leagues. Pakistan hosted West Indies for a 3 Match ODI Series where the score-line of 3-0 suggested that Pakistan dominated West Indies but that series was an intriguing one. The statement from Akram may be due to the rise of their PSL.
Mike Hesson’s last hope on ODI Cricket
New Zealand’s Head Coach Mike Hesson made a lucid statement that the fate of ODI Cricket would be decided after ICC Cricket World Cup 2024. He was clear that the hosts India will play a huge role as we all know that Indians are crazy about Cricket. The Kiwis are a team who have been dark horse for lot of time and for them, they need to win ODI Cricket Cup as the stain of losing the 2019 finale is still there.
South Africa’s preference for T20 League over ODI Series
South Africa astoundingly gave up World Super League points for their inaugural T20 League. They were scheduled to play Australia in January and the dates were clashing with their league. They chose T20 Cricket over National Matches which was quite disheartening to see.
South Africa may not be the richest board but they still have the players and management where they can be the best again. Due to this decision, their direct qualification for ICC Cricket World Cup 2024 has taken a jolt. Currently, they are placed at 11th position out of 13 where only top 7 teams and India will qualify directly.
This decision has hinted that Cricket is heading towards Franchise Model. All in all, it looks like South Africa is helpless as they are badly in need of finances; But at the expense of killing ODI Cricket, has raised a lot of eyebrows.
Read More: Hardik Pandya to bid goodbye to ODIs post-2024 World Cup says Ex-India Coach
ICC on ODI Cricket
ICC brushed aside all the opinions on ODI Cricket and made it clear that ODI Matches will take place. ICC also made a statement that the ODI Series between Australia and South Africa would be rescheduled. The two boards should work out and find a window and said that there are still 9 months remaining for ICC World Super League. This is a great gesture from ICC which is needed if one of the purest form of the Cricket is to be kept alive.
Ireland vs New Zealand ODI Series 2022
The recently concluded ODI Series between Ireland vs New Zealand was a nail-biting one. 2 out of 3 matches were a final thriller. It was unfortunate to see Ireland on the losing side on twice occasions. There was a cut-throat competition. It looked as if Ireland is playing like a Champion Team and showcased the credentials of a fighting team.
This ODI Series was overlooked by many experts, why because Ireland is not a competitive team like Bangladesh. Ireland literally gave a heart attack to the Black Caps and for nations like Ireland, Netherlands, and Scotland; they have utmost importance in ODI Cricket as they don’t play that much Cricket.
West Indies vs India ODI Series 2022
This series was a gripping one. West Indies team was on a roll but failed at the last junction. The way both the teams played made a statement that ODI Cricket is getting better match by match. This Series was not a part of the World Super League but still, it had all the ingredients in it to make a mouth-watering contest.
Even in the absence of Rohit, Bumrah, Shami, and Virat the matches were evenly poised. West Indies on the other hand looked dejected but they would have a smile that they gave their all in the ODI Series. All in all, this ODI Series made a resounding statement that ODI Cricket is still alive and is better than the rising T20 Cricket.
ODI Cricket Still Alive
There are around 7-8 T20 Leagues played in a calendar year which has perturbed ODI Cricket. ODI Cricket has its essence in it as the team has to change the gears according to the phase. The experts like Kevin Pietersen are making controversial statements regarding ODI Cricket; they are diverting the young generation to the entertainment by promoting T20 Cricket.
ODI Cricket requires a lot of endurance as playing in the scorching heat is not everyone’s cup of tea. As things stand now T20 Cricket will continue to rule but ODI Cricket dominates the Sport irrespective of how many leagues come. We should not forget that ICC Cricket World Cup is regarded as one of the biggest tournaments in Cricket. The last 3 World Cups were fascinating to watch and the upcoming edition will remove these odd questions.
“Written by Varad Vaichal”
